Dr. Marie A. McKay-Schmitt, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist

 Marie A. McKay is a licensed psychologist with over ten years of experience. Since her licensure twelve years ago, she has worked at a number of community mental health centers, an in-patient psychiatric unit, a center for developmentally disabled residents, and private practice. Dr. McKay also has six years of teaching experience through teaching contracts with Aquinas College and Central Michigan University. Dr. McKay's major areas of interest include the assessment, understanding, and treatment of shame, especially relating to trauma and trauma resolution.

 Dr. McKay holds level II certification in EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing).

 Dr. McKay received her undergraduate degree from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, and her graduate and doctoral degrees from Central Michigan University. She has completed continuing education courses through Michigan Psychoanalytic Council and Other organizations.

Comments from Dr. Marie McKay about her approach to helping others.

My approach to helping others focuses upon helping individuals understand their feelings, emotions, and motivations, those they are aware of and those they are not. Therapy is essentially an equal and trusting relationship between the client and therapist, where the client could be an individual, couple, or family. As an individual, I believe you have the ability to understand and implement the changes you desire for yourself; only you are responsible for deciding the ultimate direction or course of action you may take.

Through a sequence of self explorations, which may include an investigation of your family history, you may learn more about yourself and the external and internal factors that effect the quality of your life and relationships. You may improve your skills in the areas of communication, self-control, and self-understanding. You are in full control of what you want to accomplish in therapy and your individual spiritual beliefs will be respected. A good therapy experience offers you opportunities to learn important things about yourself, to acquire helpful life management skills and to integrate both past and present learning to achieve a much better quality of life.

No where in life are endings just as important as beginnings as in your therapy experience. I believe that it is very important that the ending of your therapy with me be handled with the same care and sensitivity as the beginning. This will enable you to go on smoothly with your life, without any negative feelings burdening you about how your therapy ended. So, whatever the reason, it is our responsibility to make sure your therapy ends as well as it began. To this end I recommend that, whenever possible, we plan and prepare for the end of our work together with the same time and attention your life warrants. I look forward to the opportunity to help you grow and achieve your fullest potential as a human being.

 If you have further questions, feel free to call, fax or email Dr. McKay and she'll try to help. Click on the Contact Us link on the menu to find out how to do this. We also welcome you to learn more about Jenison Psychological Services by exploring some of the other links on our main menu.

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